Post on 19-Feb-2020
Bulk Dry Cargo
Management Guideline
JULY 2019
Bulk Dry Cargo Management Guidelines
Disclaimer
This document contains important information intended as a guide for the
requirements and recommendations for the safe handling and storage of
bulk dry cargo in the Port of Melbourne by ship owners and Masters (or
their agents), berth operators, stevedores, leaseholders and their employees,
representatives and contractors. The guide incorporates and references
minimum statutory requirements and industry standards that apply, or may
apply, at the port.
Please note that compliance with statutory requirements and industry
standards is the independent responsibility of any person accessing or
undertaking any activity at the port (whether on port land or port waters).
Therefore, readers must independently verify that the information contained
within is current, accurate and complete.
Victorian Ports Corporation Melbourne (VPCM) does not warrant and
makes no representation that the information in this document is accurate,
complete or reliable, and therefore shall not be liable to anyone who may in
anyway suffer loss or injury as a result of their reliance on information or
procedures contained in this document.
Information contained in this document is current at the time of print. Please
note that changes may occur without notice.
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Bulk Dry Cargo Management Guidelines
Revision history
Date Version Reason
1st November 2016 1 New Document
20th July 2019 2 1st VPCM Review
Approval history
Date Name and title
20th March 2019 Col Strawbridge, Manager Health & Safety
Document Location:
The most up-to-date document and central source for referenced forms and additional guidelines can be located on the Victorian Ports Corporation Melbourne (VPCM) website at http://www.vicports.vic.gov.au
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Forward ................................................................................................................................................. 5
1 Preliminary ................................................................................................................................. 6
1.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 Scope and Application ..................................................................................................... 6
1.3 Requirements .................................................................................................................. 6
1.4 Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 6
1.5 Referenced Documents .................................................................................................. 9
2 Risk Management Process ........................................................................................................ 9
2.1 Hazard Identification ........................................................................................................ 9
2.2 Risk Assessment ............................................................................................................. 9
3 Training & Inspection Programs .................................................................................................. 10
3.1 Training ..........................................................................................................................10
3.2 Training Outcomes ........................................................................................................10
3.3 Inspections.....................................................................................................................10
4 Spill Containment .......................................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Terminal Cleaning .............................................................................................................. 10
4.2 Vessel Cleaning .............................................................................................................11
5 Impact of Spills .........................................................................................................................11
6 Hierarchy of control measures ..................................................................................................... 12
7 Emergency Actions ..................................................................................................................12
7.1 Emergency Procedures .................................................................................................12
7.2 Emergency Plans ..........................................................................................................12
7.3 Ship’s Master .................................................................................................................13
7.4 Cargo handling company .................................................................................................. 13
8 Notification ................................................................................................................................13
8.1 Advance Notification ......................................................................................................13
8.2 Information to be provided in the notification ................................................................13
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Forward
This document sets out Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) (VPCM) requirements
for the safe handling and transport of Bulk Dry Cargoes in the Port of Melbourne.
It is designed to assist ship owners (or their agents), ship management companies, ship's
masters and bulk dry terminal operators to provide the minimum acceptable safety
requirements for facilities and operating procedures when handling such cargoes so as to
ensure the protection of individuals, installations and the environment.
Ship owners, ship management companies, ship's masters and bulk dry terminal
operators must also comply with other relevant existing guidelines in relation to the
handling of dry bulk cargoes, including Port of Melbourne Operations (Port of
Melbourne) ‘Port Rule No1’.
The objective of VPCM’s Bulk Dry Cargo Management Guideline is to ensure that all dry
bulk handling operations at the Port of Melbourne are conducted in a manner that will
appropriately manage safety, waste and pollution, promote efficient use of resources and
manage environmental impacts.
Various parties including terminal hirers, terminal operators, stevedores, licensees,
tenants, ship owners, shipping agents, Port of Melbourne and VPCM share responsibility
for safety in the port and the local community to ensure that their operational activities
are conducted in a secure and environmentally sustainable manner. These activities must
be carried out in compliance with all legislation including, but not limited to, the following:
• The Port Management Act 1995 (Vic)
• Transport Legislation Amendment (Hoon Boating and Other Amendments) Act 2009 (Vic)
• Port Management (Port of Melbourne Safety and Property) Regulations 2010 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)
• Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic)
The Port Management Act 1995 and the Port Management (Port of Melbourne Safety
and Property) Regulations 2010 make the transfer of dry cargo in bulk a
“Hazardous Port Activity”. This requires a mandatory application for authorisation and
notification of proposal to carry out any bulk dry cargo transfer.
Key critical factors required when handling dry bulk cargoes include:
• Legislative authorisation and notification requirements are all met
• Safe infrastructure, procedures and work systems are in place
• Competent and trained staff undertake the operations
• A risk assessment covering all facets of the transfer operation is current
• A coordinated reporting and investigation system is active
• Planned emergency, incident and recovery management processes are tested
• Emergency equipment and pollution response systems are in place.
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VPCM Health & Safety may inspect at random, any operation or function associated with
bulk dry cargoes, to ensure that the operation is being performed in accordance with the
above requirements.
1 Preliminary
1.1 Purpose
This document sets out VPCM’s requirements and recommendations for the safe handling
and transport of bulk dry cargoes in the Port of Melbourne.
• It is designed to assist ship owners (or their agents), management companies,
masters and bulk dry terminal operators to provide minimum acceptable safety
requirements for facilities and operating procedures when handling such cargoes to
ensure the protection of individuals, installations and the environment.
• A risk assessment process should be adopted when handling bulk dry cargos. The
assessment may identify other specific safety treatments not covered by this
guideline. In such circumstances, additional risk treatments or measures must be
considered.
1.2 Scope and Application
This guideline covers:
• All bulk dry cargo transfers as this activity is defined as a hazardous port activity
under the Port Management Act 1995.
1.3 Requirements
VPCM requires that any ship, terminal operator, company or individual, involved in the
handling, transport and storage of bulk dry cargo, complies with the requirements of
Legislation, Port Rule No 1 and this guideline.
1.4 Definitions
Agent
A person or organisation representing the ship owner, cargo owner and cargo receiver.
Berth
Any dock, pier, jetty, quay, wharf, marine terminal or similar structure (whether floating or
not) at which a ship may tie up. It includes any plant or premises, other than a ship,
used for purposes ancillary or incidental to the loading or unloading of bulk dry cargoes.
Handling
The operation of loading or unloading of a ship; transfer to, from, or within a terminal
area or ship; or trans-shipment between ships or other modes of transport. This includes
intermediate keeping; i.e. the temporary storage in the port area during their transport
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from the point of origin to their destination, for the purpose of changing the modes or
means of transport.
Note: This is an important term, which relates to the actual physical operation of moving
materials. It is a widely drawn scope so as to cover all of the many operations, which
relate to the transfer of bulk dry cargoes in a port area.
Hazard
Means any activity, occurrence or circumstance of any kind that has the potential to
cause injury to persons, to damage property or pollute the environment including:
• The escape, spillage, leakage or the loss of containment of any bulk dry cargo.
NOTES:
• In assessing the hazard posed by bulk dry cargoes, the volatility, toxicity and
pollution category of the cargo must be considered.
• For the purpose of this guide, coal is not considered a dangerous cargo.
Hazardous port activity
Means any activity involving the following:
• The transfer of dry or liquid cargoes to and from vessels and wharves.
• Hot works, being thermal or oxygen cutting or heating or any other heat or spark
producing activity.
Port of Melbourne Operations (Port of Melbourne)
The private operator of the Port of Melbourne commercial operations following the
conclusion of the Port of Melbourne Lease Transaction in 2016.
Port of Melbourne DPAO
A Port of Melbourne Duty Port Authorised Officer tasked with monitoring Hazardous
Port Activities on Port of Melbourne controlled areas is carried out in accordance with the
conditions of the issued authority.
Victorian Ports Corporation Melbourne (VPCM)
Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne), the former Port of Melbourne Corporation
(PoMC), following the conclusion of the Port of Melbourne Lease Transaction in 2016.
VPCM Health & Safety Department (VPCM H&S)
VPCM Duty Port Authorised Officer (DPAO)
A VPCM officer tasked with issuing authorities and monitoring that Hazardous Port
activities on port land and in port waters are carried out in accordance with the conditions
of the issued authority.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Commonwealth Department managing quarantine controls at Australia's borders to
minimise the risk of exotic pests and diseases entering the country.
Risk
Means the likelihood of injury to persons, damage to property or pollution of the
environment being caused by a hazard.
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Responsible Person
A person appointed by an employer or the Master of the ship and empowered to take all
decisions relating to a specific task, having the necessary competency, training,
knowledge and experience for that purpose.
Reasonably Practicable
• The severity of the hazard or risk
• The likelihood of serious injury or damage
• The state of knowledge about the hazard or risk
• Information you know about the hazard or risk
• Information provided to you about the hazard or risk
• Ways to remove or mitigate the risk
• The availability and suitability of risk controls
• The cost of removing or mitigating the risk.
Vessel
Means any kind of floating craft that is used, or is capable of being used in navigation by
water, however propelled or moved and includes:
• A ship, barge, lighter, floating restaurant or other floating vessel.
• An air-cushion vehicle or other similar craft that is used for navigation by water.
• An aircraft capable of manoeuvring on the water, for as long as the aircraft is on the
water. Port Rule No 1
Port Rule No 1 Manual
A manual written by Port of Melbourne that outlines the operational requirements, roles
and responsibilities of all parties involved in bulk dry operations at Port of Melbourne
controlled bulk dry berths in the Port of Melbourne.
WorkSafe
The Victorian WorkCover Authority’s Worksafe Division.
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1.5 Referenced Documents
Referenced documents such as Acts and Port of Melbourne’s Port Rule No 1 have
been referred to throughout this document. The latest editions should always be
referenced to ensure that the latest safety developments and requirements are
incorporated.
2 Risk Management Process
This is a process that assists ship’s Masters and berth operators in identifying hazards and
implementing corrective treatments or measures to eliminate or reduce the risks
associated with handling bulk dry cargoes.
2.1 Hazard Identification
The entire handling and transfer process needs to be examined to identify any hazards
associated with the particular type of cargo being handled and the type of transfer
operation being employed:
• A single hazard
• Multiple hazard
• Cumulative hazard
• Other hazards also need to be considered which may be external to the process
• These hazards can include:
• Prevailing weather conditions
• Proximity of other Goods on board the ship and terminal
• Information for identifying hazards can be obtained from sources such as:
• Worksafe Guidelines and Standards
• Industry publications.
2.2 Risk Assessment
There are various methods of carrying out a risk assessment. The purpose of the
risk assessment is to determine the consequence of:
• Likely injury to people from the transfer process
• Likely damage to property from the transfer process
• Likely pollution to the environment
• The risks that need to be controlled
• The order in which the risks need to be controlled
• A generic assessment can be used to minimise duplication and to streamline the
process. However, a responsible person should ensure that the risk assessment
is:
• Valid for that transfer process
• Reviewed and current.
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3 Training & Inspection Programs
3.1 Training
Based on risk assessments and the complexity of the handling and storage of bulk dry
cargo in port areas, port users should ensure that all staff involved in the handling and
storage of bulk dry cargo in port areas are provided with a formal training program.
The training should aim to ensure that each person who may be involved with handling
and storage of bulk dry cargo operations achieve the requisite knowledge and
competencies required to undertake the operation safely. The staff must be provided with
adequate supervision until they can demonstrate they are competent in handling the
operation in a safe manner.
Responsible parties should select training courses that cover the theoretical aspects of
handling and storage of bulk dry cargo including relevant, hazards, guidelines and
regulations for staff involved in these operations.
3.2 Training Outcomes
Ship and shore staff undertaking handling and storage of bulk dry cargo operations
should be:
• Proficient in the handling process;
• Have knowledge of the hazards that may arise from the process;
• Conversant with and understand the information provided on the material safety data
sheets for the product/s being handled;
• Conversant with the requirements of the relevant guidelines and regulations; and
• Be able to respond to any emergency and assist till emergency assistance arrives.
3.3 Inspections
All responsible parties involved in the handling transport and storage of bulk dry cargo
operations should develop and implement a comprehensive inspection program.
These inspections should be regularly undertaken and recorded. Regular inspections can
identify faults and potential failures in the processes before incidents occur.
4 Spill Containment
4.1 Terminal Cleaning
All spillage arising from dry bulk cargo handling at the Terminal must be cleaned up and
where necessary disposed of at an EPA licensed waste disposal facility and if applicable,
in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Agriculture and Water
Resources.
• All spilt cargo must be continually swept up to minimise cargo build up on the wharf
and to ensure no offsite emission of particulates occurs during the loading or
unloading of dry bulk cargo as well as at the end of the cargo transfer. A vacuum
street sweeper must be available at the Terminal at all times to sweep up cargo as it is
spilt. Also, the provision of alternative equipment for cleaning up cargo residues in
areas difficult to access must also be available where necessary.
• Clean up following completion of cargo handling must be undertaken within two
hours subject to reasonable delays caused by wet weather.
• Clean up includes manual sweeping and collection of cargo residues around wharf
capping, bollards and other wharf features, and the removal of cargo residues from
stormwater pits.
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• Where a terminal provides a wash-down area, all cleaning of equipment must be
carried out within the wash-down area.
• High pressure equipment must be used for any wash-down with water.
• Water must not be used to wash down the wharf surface or equipment outside wash-
down areas or in contravention of any water restrictions imposed by VPCM or Port of
Melbourne.
• At no time shall cargo residues be swept or disposed of into Port waters or a
Terminal’s stormwater drainage system.
• Any cleaning operations which themselves could generate windblown emissions of
particulates must cease in the event of winds causing the residue to disperse past the
Terminal boundary.
4.2 Vessel Cleaning
• All spillage on a vessel arising from dry bulk cargo handling must be cleaned up and
disposed of in an appropriate manner before the vessel departs.
• All split cargo on a vessel must be continually swept up to minimise cargo build up on
the vessel deck and to ensure that no offsite emission of particulates occurs during
loading or unloading of dry bulk cargo as well as at the end of the cargo transfer.
• At no time shall cargo residue be swept or disposed of into Port waters.
• Water must not to be used to wash down a vessel’s deck or equipment whilst the
vessel is within Port waters.
• Ballast water intake must not overflow onto the vessel deck resulting in cargo
residues being washed into Port waters.
5 Impact of Spills
Measures to prevent or control the impact of a spill will require a risk assessment. The
hierarchy of controls ( refer Section 6) will need to be employed to suit the
containment and clean-up operations. The hierarchy of control is a sequence of
options which offers a number of ways to approach the control of spill hazards.
Working down the list to implement the best measure possible is the aim.
6 Hierarchy of control measures
The hierarchy of controls should be used to mitigate hazards and risks as they are identified; the hierarchy of controls consists of the following six (6) elements:
• Elimination
• Substitution
• Isolation
• Engineering Controls
• Administrative Controls
• Personal Protective Equipment
Further information can be found at the following link Controlling OHS hazards and risks
7 Emergency Actions
Emergency actions dealing with bulk dry cargo incidents may include one or all of the following:
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7.1 Emergency Procedures
Emergency procedures are required for handling all foreseeable emergencies during a
bulk dry cargo operation. Emergency procedures may vary but must include as a
minimum:
• Raising of an alarm
• Action by persons to ensure their own safety and the safety of those around them
• Action by persons to minimise the damage to people, property and the environment
• A designated method of informing emergency services, Port of Melbourne,
government agencies, adjacent properties, goods owners including charterers and
their agents.
7.2 Emergency Plans
The purpose and scope of an emergency plan should be designed to manage and
co- ordinate all aspects of the emergency. Emergency plans should include:
• Responsibilities of key personnel
• Circumstances and systems to activate the plan
• Outline teams and roles to handle various aspects of the emergency
• Additional resources such as emergency services, additional power.
For any emergency involving fire, injury, rescue or spill emergency services ring 000 and
then contact Melbourne VTS on (03) 9644 9777.
7.3 Ship’s Master
The master of a vessel whilst moored alongside a berth must ensure that, within his area
of responsibility, bulk cargo handling activities are carried out in accordance with:
• Ships specific procedures
• Port Rule No 1
• Relevant sections of this guideline.
7.4 Cargo handling company
The cargo handling company, within their area of responsibility, must ensure that bulk
cargo handling operations are carried out in accordance with:
• Operators specific procedures
• Port Rule No 1
• Relevant sections of this document.
VPCM Port Safety Officers may in order to ensure that users are complying with this
guideline and Port Rule No 1 carry out random inspections of operations at the Terminal.
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8 Notification
8.1 Advance Notification
Note
Key elements of the Port Management (Port of Melbourne Safety and Property)
Regulations 2010 in Division 1 and 2 requires that VPCM receive both an application for
authorisation and notification of the carriage of bulk dry cargo at least 24 hours prior to
arrival in the Port in the form of a properly prepared manifest.
Bulk dry goods notifications will only be accepted by manual entry through DG Hub
interface at this website: www.dghub.com.au
All relevant guidelines, procedures, forms and a web link to DG Hub are available from
the VPCM website at the www.vicports.vic.gov.au
Further information can be obtained by contacting the VPCM Health and Safety Team:
portsafety@vicports.vic.gov.au
8.2 Information to be provided in the notification:
The following minimum information shall be provided in the advance notification: a
Name and Lloyds/IMO number of ship.
b Estimated date and time of arrival (ETA) of ship, or delivery of goods to port area, as
appropriate.
c Name of agent, contact name and telephone number. d Proper shipping name/correct technical name.
e UN number (where applicable).
f Quantity of cargoes to be unloaded/loaded and those to be left on board.
Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne)
Street address
Level 5, 530 Collins Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Australia
Postal address
GPO Box 261
Melbourne VIC 3001
Australia
Tel: +61 3 8347 8300 Fax: +61 3 8347 8301
www.vicports.vic.gov.au